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Wind ensemble gaining new music director

by mchaiken • August 1, 2014 • Comments Off on Wind ensemble gaining new music director

By LINDSAY CAREY
STAFF WRITER
Let the trumpets sound, a new music director is in town.
The Plainville Wind Ensemble has chosen Ken Bagley to take on the volunteer position of music director.
“Ken was selected due to his style and his enthusiam for music,” said Kathleen Marsan, the executive director of the Plainville Wind Ensemble.
Their former music director Chris Dresko resigned for family reasons.
The 73 member symphony plays anything from pop all the way up to the masters and Marsan said Bagley is fluent in all of those genres.
Bagley’s teaching experience also made him a good fit for the band, which is made up of 20- to 80-year-old musicians.
“We have to make sure our conductor is good with people who are just getting back to music as well as those who are music teachers themselves,” said Marsan.
Ken Bagley has been teaching for 22 years at both the middle school and high school level. He is currently the music coordinator for Bristol, which functions as a teaching and administrative role.
“I love the idea of leading a group,” said Bagley. “I’ve always wanted to work with an adult group. This is the perfect outlet for my musical needs.”
Bagley said he grew up playing baritone horn in a musically-inclined family, and that familial influence guided him to becoming a music lover.
“It’s something that I love doing,” said Bagley. “I wake up thinking about music and listen to music all day.”
Today, the new music director said that music is a big part of his own home. He plays the trumpet and trombone and he performs with his family at home in their own private quintet.
Besides his home life and passion for music, Bagley received a degree in music education from the Hartt School and a master’s of music in wind conducting from the University of Connecticut.
Bagley also was chosen above other qualified candidates for the ensemble because he is familiar with the group.
“He’s followed us over the years,” said Marsan. “He knows who we are. He knows the flavor of our band. He also had in his mind a really good idea of where he wanted our band to go. Its going to be a lot of fun to see where leads us.”
Bagley said he appreciates the growth of the group in the last few years and the musical direction it has taken.
“That’s exciting for me,” said Bagley. “That will allow me to contribute my artistic edge, I’m excited about the possibilities.”
The first rehearsal for the group is Sept. 9 and Marsan said the group is always looking for new musicians to join.
Proceeds of concerts for the Plainville Wind Ensemble go to support another nonprofit organization.
Comments? Email lcarey@SouthingtonObserver.com.